Credit & Collections Associate

Basic Function
This position is the primary point of contact responsible for the successful collection of outstanding accounts receivable for the WK NAAC OTC division. The Credit Management team is part of the North America - Accounting Center (NA-AC). All transactional Order to Cash (OTC) activities across all US and Canadian divisions are being managed by NA-AC and function as a virtual community. The NA-AC organization focuses on building accounting expertise in a tower structure; RTR, PTP and OTC and provide support to the businesses of Wolters Kluwer North America in a standardized, harmonized, and high-quality manner. Each tower is led by a Senior Director who reports directly to the VP, F&A Business Services/Accounting Operations.
The Credit Collections Associate will be responsible for analyzing and collections of all aspects of AR customer accounts, ensuring that payments are made within terms, dealing with Bank documentation, (especially outside of the U.S. to secure payment), escalation of customers who fall beyond payment terms and communicating to management all significant collection issues that impact cash flow. Collections efforts will primarily be conducted via phone and email.
This position will be expected to meet collection target goals as established by senior management relating to aged accounts receivable, bad debt and Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). The Credit Collections Associate will maximize cash collections by meeting or exceeding defined cash targets, provide monthly cash forecasting for his/her assignment, minimizing bad debt expense, while maintaining a positive working relationship with internal and external customers.
The Credit Collections Associate will utilize OnGuard, Microsoft Excel, and other accounting related software packages to communicate actual performance against key performance indicators and cash targets. This is an individual contributor role working in a team environment. Ideal candidate will have hands-on accounts receivable experience, report creation, analysis and presentation skills. Additionally, the successful candidate must have the ability to successfully present and interact with all levels of management relating to AR issues. The position requires the maintenance of complex AR and business issues in a manner that safeguards our assets (AR) while also maintaining current and future business relationships.
Essential Duties and responsibilities
•Proactively ensures individual responsibility is carried out to enable the ability to achieve the Corporate goals for Cash Collections, reduction of risk related to Bad Debt and improve overall Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) metrics

• Contact assigned customers for payments on aged accounts via voice and email. Maintain a good working relationship with all accounts, both internal and external, while being firm regarding payment requirements and define collection processes
• Review accounts on credit hold list to make a determination to release orders or not
• Respond to heavy incoming calls and emails from customers relating to their accounts and payments. Research, identify and resolve customer disputes.
• Obtain credit applications from prospective customers and secure information from references provided. Establish credit lines for credit- worthy companies within acceptable risk tolerance pre-established parameters
• Liaise with internal offices, customer service, billing and/or sales departments, or off-shore cash collection and cash applications to address and correct billing or cash application discrepancies
• Investigate unknown cash receipts to ensure correct allocations
• Proactively escalate issues to Credit and Collections Director and appropriate levels of leadership
• Analyze payment trends and proactively determine root cause for non-payment and then take action to resolve
• Proactively identify and implement process improvements
• Produce monthly/periodical reports, as needed

• Maintain files on assigned customer accounts and update the system with all comments pertaining to the account

Other Duties
Special projects as appropriate
Job Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Accounting/Finance, or equivalent Collections Business-to-Business experience preferred.

• 2 -3 years previous accounting/collection experience business to business, specifically in Publishing, Software or Medical/Healthcare Concentration
• Experience with Multi-currency collections.
• Experience with collections for a company with several legal entities and ERP systems
• Demonstrated strong reporting and data querying capabilities
• Thorough knowledge of MS Office Suite 2010 (Word, Excel including Pivot tables and VLookup, PowerPoint, Access)
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in virtual teams with effective interface with 3rd party and outsourced providers
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, Customer Service preferred
• Exemplary time management and organization skills
• Detail oriented approach to work, confidentiality, and good problem-solving skills
• Must be proactive and recommend solutions when discussing problems if possible
• Ability to work additional hours during peak-collection periods and month-end.
• Experience with the following AR workflow and fulfillments systems preferred: OnGuard, Orion, Advantage, Dynad Advantage, NetSuite, Great Plains, SAP

Other Knowledge, Skills, Abilities or Certifications: Multi-lingual skills a plus
Travel requirements
0 - 10%